Space Travel BOTH MANNED AND UNMANNED What Caused the Start of Space Travel? • Cold War- After WWII, the United Stated and Russia severed all ties to each and became enemies. • The two countries lost trust in each other and we constantly fearful that the other country would attack with nuclear weapons. • For 40 years, both countries spied on each other and battled to make more technological advances so they would have the upper-hand in the event of war. • This started the space race in the 1950’s. What is the Space Race? • Space Race- the United States and Russia battle to be the first country to conquer and explore space. • Started on October 4, 1957- Russia launched the first satellite into space, Sputnik. • This sparked the United States and Russia to develop space technology and exploration quickly throughout a very short period of time. Main Space Race Events • Oct 1957- Russia launches Sputnik. • 1958- US launces its own satellite, Explorer 1. • 1958- President Eisenhower created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA. • April 1961- Yuri Gagarin (Russia) becomes the first human in space and the first man to orbit the Earth. • May 1961- Alan B. Shepard becomes the first American in space.

Main Space Race Events • 1962- John Glenn is the first American to orbit the Earth. • 1963- Valencia Tereshkova (Russia) the first woman in space. • 1965- Alexei Leonov (Russia) performs first spacewalk. • 1969- Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin become the first men to walk on the moon. Legacy of the Space Race • The Space Race started NASA, a nationally funded office whose purpose is expanding mankind’s understanding of what lies beyond. • Since the end of the space race in 1969, the United States and other countries have continued their research and exploration into space. Astronomy’s History and Tools What is Astronomy? • Astronomy- the study of the universe. • Universe- everything that exists. The Earth and all things in space. • An astronomer is someone who observes that universe and tries to explain what is observed. • Because the universe is so large, and contains so many different things, no one astronomer can study everything. • Different astronomers study different parts of the universe. Why Do People Become Astronomers? • There are two types of astronomers: • Professional- those that make a career out of astronomy. • Amateur- those that do it for fun. • No matter what type of astronomer they are, all astronomers can make observations that might lead to some new understandings. • People become astronomers because they are curious about what lies beyond. • Some answers to questions in astronomy are practical and some are not. When Did Astronomy Start? • Ever since humans have populated the Earth, they have had a natural curiosity about the sky. • Ancient cultures have use the stars to tell stories about the Gods constellations. • Many cultures build structures to help them see and understand the stars and their tools. Examples • Stonehenge- England • Scientists believe that it is a primitive calendar that was used to keep note the seasons. • Chichén Itzá- Mexico • The structure was built to let sunlight hit the structure in special patterns on certain days of the year. • Big Horn Medicine Wheel- Wyoming • Like Stonehenge, it was used as a seasonal calendar • Chomsongdae Observatory- Korea • The oldest observatory in Asia, let people see the stars and planets. • Jantar Mantar Observatory- India • An observatory where the first Indian astronomers made many breakthrough discoveries about the solar system. Early Astronomy Tools • Before the use of tools, early astronomers only had their eyes to help them see the sky. • People invented tools to help them better understand the stars. • Astrolabe- used from 200BC-1700AD. • It was a star map drawn on a metal plate. It had movable parts that allowed the viewer to measure the angle between the horizon and the star or planet. • Sextant- replaced the astrolabe • Measured the angle between the horizon and the sky. Consisted of a movable arm, mirrors, and an eye piece attached to a frame shaped like a piece of pie. Early Telescopes

• Telescope- gathers light to magnify faraway objects in the sky. • Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)- the first person to use a telescope in astronomy. • He Discovered: • The moon has mountains and the sun spins. • Venus has phases and Jupiter has 4 moons. • He was the first European astronomer to say the Earth and all other planets revolved around the sun, and that the Earth was NOT at the center of the solar system.

Sir Isaac Newton’s Telescope

• Newton developed a new telescope. • Early telescopes used lenses to focus light and magnify distant objects. • Reflecting Telescope- invented by Newton. • Used a curved mirror. This allowed people to see objects that were dimmer and farther away to see objects in sharper detail. Today’s Techy Telescopes • The Hubble Space Telescope • This telescopes orbits around the Earth in space. • It detects ultraviolet light, visible light, and infrared light. • Keck I and Keck II • These are the largest reflecting telescopes in the world. • They are on top of a dormant volcano Mount Kea in Hawaii. Radio Telescopes • Radio Telescopes- detect radio waves. • They don’t have mirrors or lenses, instead they are bowl- shaped dished that focus and collect radio waved given off by distant object in space. • When many radio telescopes are connected and work together, they can create large images of the sky. Space Exploration Today • Today, there are 2 main types of spacecraft exploration: • Manned • Robotic What is Manned Space Travel? • Manned Space Travel- space travel where human go to the destination. • The only object outside Earth that humans have visited is the Moon! • Humans have visited the Moon 6 times, the first with Apollo 11 on July 20th 1969. • In 2010, manned space flight became more limited when the American government retired the NASA space shuttles. • Until newer and better shuttles are built, Americans are going to space with the help of Russia, and a company called Space X. What is Robotic Space Travel? • Robotic Space Travel- space travel where robots and machinery are used to gain information instead of humans. • Types: • Flyby- flies past a world, then continues on (least expensive because it does not need fuel to change course) • Orbiter- enters into orbit around a world for longer study. • Lander- lands on a surface. Some contain rovers that can move to cover wider areas. • Probe- studies atmosphere as it plunges through it. • Sample return missions- collects a sample, then returns to earth with it. Discoveries Made By Robotic Space Flight • Voyager 2 (Flyby)- discovered Jupiter’s rings. It also got better images of Saturn and Neptune’s rings. • Pioneer (orbiter)- mapped Venus’ surface. • Galileo (orbiter)- orbited Jupiter for 8 years, and studied its moon. In 2003, it was intentionally plunged into Jupiter’s atmosphere and crushed by the intense pressure. Discoveries Made By Robotic Space Flight

• Cassini (orbiter)- orbiting Saturn since 2004, studying the planet, its rings, and its moons. • Spirit and Opportunity (landers)- landers fitted with rovers to explore Mars. To save fuel, they landed on Mars in air- bag cocoons.

Discoveries Made By Robotic Space Flight • Galileo dropped a probe into Jupiter. It measured the temperature, pressure, and composition and radiation for 1 hour before the intense heat and pressure destroyed it. • Magellan (orbiter)- mapped out the surface of Venus. • Rosetta (probe and orbiter)- orbited and landed on a comet.